During my time bike touring in Denmark, I learned a lot about myself, traveling, and independence. Traveling makes me a bit anxious at times, I can be a bit of a homebody. Even this trip was a push for me. While bike touring, I found I was a bit too slow to keep up with the fast group but was too far ahead of those behind me. So, I was just alone biking in the middle of the Danish countryside with just my map. I realized how crazy this was when I was stopped for my sandwich alone on the side of the bike path somewhere. I do not do a ton of hiking, biking, or things of that sort on my own because it feels unsafe, but the Danish countryside is peaceful and feels safer. I had my headphones in listening to music for most of my ride, which I quickly noticed was my biggest motivator while going up hills. I also learned that I like biking long distance rides by myself. It makes me a little anxious to be at the back of the pack trying to keep up with a huge group of people. I felt bad about myself because I couldn’t go as fast as others and for when I wanted to make a stop after a difficult hill. Biking on my own allowed me to stop as much as I wanted with no pressure, and I felt less tired. I also noticed my surroundings more. I noticed the beautiful coastline, windmills, little creatures (cats and rabbits particularly), cute buildings, and my personal favorite, all the flowers and plants! I stopped many times to see pretty wildflowers and plants! This made the biking feel more recreational for me because I was enjoying the views and nature. The nearly 80 miles of biking I did over just 3 days really tested my strength. I was exhausted, but I felt so much less anxiety. Nature and being outside is my favorite thing in the world and as cheesy as it sounds, I felt empowered with the freedom to enjoy nature while still challenging my abilities and strength. The independence I have been able to experience on this trip, whether it is in the city or out, has been liberating. And being able to get on my bike and use my own two legs to get me to these places is a really cool experience. It took being out on my own in the Danish countryside, exhausted and hot, for me to realize how freaking amazing that feeling, and this entire experience is.  

Here are some songs I listened to while biking:

i – Kendrick Lamar: very motivating while going up hills, upbeat and fun!

Deep Brown Eyes – Bedside Kites: sweet song, made me miss my loved ones while enjoying the beautiful scenery

Don’t Let No One Get You Down – War: fun song, the beat kept me motivated and I was always very excited when this song rolled around on my playlist

Morning Dew – Grateful Dead: a perfect biking song.

Time (You and I) – Khruangbin: one of my favorite artists, this song is absolutely perfect and all of Khruangbin’s music always gives me the chance to take a second to breathe and pause

Here is my playlist for biking in Europe if any of you are Spotify users:

Hope you all enjoyed this candid reflection and biking tunes!

Yours, 

Macy